MUNSTER OUT-HALF Ian Keatley has been training with Ireland in the build-up to the start of the Six Nations as Joe Schmidt keeps his options open amid concerns over the fitness of Jonathan Sexton.
Keatley won the last of his four caps two years ago in his only Six Nations game when he scored 14 points in the win over Italy in Rome.
The 29-year old made his Irish debut on the tour to North America in 2009 and was also capped against Georgia in November 2014.
And while his most likely action in Scotland this weekend could be in Munster’s re-fixed Pro12 clash against Edinburgh on Friday night rather than the Six Nations opener against Vern Cotter’s men on Saturday, the Reds are very much under-strength with 13 players included in the initial squad.
“Yes, Ian Keatley is with them,” confirmed Munster defence coach Jacques Nienaber as they try to plot what sort of squad they will have available for the clash with Edinburgh with so many away on international duty.
“We are hoping to get some back from the Irish camp, but if they want to keep them, they must keep them,” he added.
The South African, who was high performance manager with the SARU before moving with director of rugby Rassie Erasmus to Munster last summer, is looking forward to getting his first close look at the Six Nations competition, a tournament which is regarded as ‘massive’ in his native land.
“I haven’t been to one before but I’m dead keen to go to one. Ireland versus England – that’s the one! That will be a nice game!
“When I was in South Africa there were two big competitions. Obviously the Tri-Nations or Rugby Championship is something that you analyse. But for me because Six Nations happened before Rugby Championship starts, and you are preparing for the incoming tour you will have a pretty good idea of what the Springboks need to do against the northern hemisphere.
“And then for me always a marker in terms of where the game is going was to watch the Six Nations to see are they running more? What type of breakdown work do they do? What type of line-outs do they do? How do they set up their maul attack? Their kicking game, so it was always a good idea for me in terms of preparing us for the incoming tours and then on to the Rugby Championship.”
Nienaber, who side conceded just four tries in the Champions Cup pool this season, said he is hopeful that the big Munster contingent will have a significant showing in the Six Nations, but he doesn’t expect Conor Murray’s assertion that he was targeted illegally by Glasgow Warriors in their recent European clash to have any impact.
“No, I just think it is something that will get managed well during the game. Obviously, they will put pressure on him because he’s a world-class nine so any team playing against him would be stupid not to do so in a legal way. I think it will be a fair contest, a massive contest definitely,” he added.
Munster’s game will go ahead at Edinburgh’s new base at Myrseside on Friday evening, with the Irish women’s and U20 sides taking on Scotland at Broadwood Stadium outside Glasgow at the same time.
Munster will be hoping that a lot of the Irish fans arriving in Edinburgh for the Six Nations tie on Saturday will support them on Friday night as they go for the win which will take them above Ospreys at the summit of the Pro12.
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